Before coming to Tokushima, I didn't really know much about Japanese festivals. So only when we started planning our trip did we learn about the Awa Odori, or the Awa Dance Festival. It's typically held in August, and so we were slightly late for the actual event, however, Tokushima has a purpose-built hall that one can visit in order to learn more about this cultural Japanese heritage.
The Awa Odori Hall is a multipurpose venue. There is a museum, there is an auditorium, and there's even a station for a ropeway that goes all the way to the top of the nearby mountain, Mount Bizan. We did all of this, in one shape or form.
We first visited the museum, where we learned about the historical aspects of this very interesting dance. The museum also had interactive elements, which allowed me to try my dancing skills as well as drumming skills. But after that, we went to the auditorium to attend a performance of the dance itself. And I really liked the fact that the dance had a participatory component. I learned how to move accordingly, and it felt more like some enjoyable exercise session than a simple event where I was watching performers on stage.
After the performance, we then went to the ropeway station to climb up Mount Bizan. It had spectacular views of Tokushima, but as it was slightly cloudy, the overall scenery was rather grey. In any case, it was nice to go up and see the entire city spread out in front of us.
This was the last thing we did in Tokushima, as we only stayed for two nights. Eventually, we moved on, this time to Takamatsu.
